The Lone Hunter
by PhantomWraith
Summary: Cursed by his blood and past mistakes, he who walks alone hunts the supernatural, battling his own demons as he battles the demons of others. The otherworldly quake in fear upon hearing his name; Akumu no Karyuudo, the Hunter of Nightmare.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

/-|-\

The Lone Hunter

\-|-/

Chapter One

Standing on an a cliff, he looked out over the forests of his home country, his black armored and sleeveless high-collar trench coat billowing lightly in the stiff breeze, the thick leather material keeping it from moving much. Raising his right arm slightly, his faithful and loyal companion landed silently on his wrist, giving a shrill cry in greeting before flapping its wings in mild agitation and shrieking again, only in warning and anger.

"Easy, Bloodwing." The figure cooed quietly to the pure crimson hawk as he brushed a couple of the bird's feathers back with the back of his left index finger. "They're friends."

A moment later, four figures landed behind him. He knew all four, but three of them didn't recognize him. No surprise, he had changed much in the past nine years. His hair was bone white and stopped just short of being chin-length, his skin was rather pale despite his constant being outside in the sun, his face was hidden by a metal full-face mask he wore at all times, he had grown to stand at 6'6" in height and well muscled despite his short lanky statue as when he was younger, and his personal attire was far different than all those years ago.

His arms, from the knuckle up, were covered in thick black leather armor with numerous straps, his left arm covered up to just above his elbow while his entire right arm was covered up to his shoulder and covered a small portion of his chest and back beneath his trench coat. He was also wearing black pants with armored knee-pads over his knees and thick black leather greaves wrapped around his shins, his feet adorned with black steel-toe combat boots. Slung across his back was a broad sword while a crossbow and a quiver of bolts hung from the back of his belt at his left hip, a small number of various grenades strapped to his chest with two throwing knives sheathed on his chest. He also had a couple more grenades attached to his left hip and daggers strapped to his thighs with seven-inch long blades.

"Are you sure this is the guy the Hokage sent us to find? He doesn't look like a ninja." Kiba quietly asked Team 7's former sensei in disbelief. Shino smacked him on the back of his head while Hinata wanted nothing more than to disappear, intimidated by the man's presence and aura...and she was only looking at his back.

"Shut up, Kiba." Sasuke hissed at the 18 year old Inuzuka, knowing the man before them was not to be trifled with. Kakashi gave Kiba a momentary glare before he took a couple steps forward and bowed deeply at the waist. "Greetings, Karyuudo-sama. We were sent by the Godaime Hokage to-"

"Bring me back to the village. I know. She's been trying to get me to come back for a couple years. Obviously, her attempts haven't been successful." The figure known as Karyuudo, Hunter, finished for Kakashi as he turned around, raising a circular object with his left hand. It was a silver ring set into a circular piece of black metal with what looked like a blood red lance laid over it.

"Return, Bloodwing." He whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear as the hawk shrieked once again in acknowledgement and turned into scarlet energy that then shot into the object in his left hand, which he then clipped to his belt. "What are the new terms for my return?"

"She said she'll agree to your previous terms of return so long as you become a shinobi of Konoha for a minimum of five years. You'll answer only to the Hokage himself and act independent of the authority of others, unless personally ordered otherwise by the Hokage." Kakashi answered as he stood straight again, but didn't look at his face out of respect and honor, having been warned by the Godaime about the Hunter's odd sense of politeness and hair trigger mood swings.

"..." The man was silent for a moment as he thought over everything in his mind. With a sigh, he nodded. "Alright. I'll return to Konoha."

"Thank you, sir. We'll escort you there, if that pleases you." Kakashi offered politely. Karyuudo let out a quiet chuckle as he walked past them.

"Yes, that pleases me so." He answered while checking to make sure his equipment and armor was all properly secured before leaping into the trees, Team 7 and 8 following close behind him.

Taking a deep breath as he set foot in Konoha, Karyuudo had a small nostalgic moment, remembering the familiar scents and sounds of when he was a child. Then the memories of his past came flooding back, forcing him to squash them down and continue walking. As Team 7/8 continued to escort him to the Hokage's office in the Fire Tower, he took notice of the uneasy looks he was getting from the civilians and looks of appraisal and slight respect from the shinobi, making him smirk slightly behind his scarred dull silver mask.

He then glanced at Hinata. She had grown into quite a beautiful woman since he last saw her. Her students had also grown since they last met. Hinata shied away slightly upon noticing his gaze turning to her, Karyuudo frowned slightly and extended his left hand to her in a friendly manner.

"Do not be frightened by me, Hyuuga Hinata. I do not mean harm to your person." He assured the girl, who hesitantly took his hand and blushed faintly when he bowed slightly at the waist without stopping in his stride, releasing her hand afterward. He then turned his glance towards Shino, who gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement and greeting, answered similarly by Karyuudo. Kiba, however...

Raising an eyebrow curiously at Kiba's unusual animosity towards him, Karyuudo figured it must be the stench of blood from his clothes. He was a hunter, after all, but of man _and_ beast; otherworldly or not. He then turned his eyes on Sakura, Sasuke, and Sai. He was pleased to see that Sasuke had returned to Konoha and had a stronger aura of power about him than he appeared.

He then took notice of the matching silver rings on Sasuke's and Sakura's hands, internally laughing at the fact the two were married. Sai seemed rather cold and socially awkward, but that happened when you're a former member of the Root ANBU.

He dismissed such thoughts as they were admitted into the Hokage's office without a moment's wait, the elderly Hokage smiling warmly as she stood up and approached Karyuudo.

"Ah, Akumu no Karyuudo, the Hunter of Nightmares. That's what you go by now-a-days, right?" The Godaime questioned as the two shook hands. Karyuudo chuckled lightly as he pulled Tsunade into a hug.

"It's good to see you too, Baa-chan. Has little Ragnarok been giving you any trouble these past few years since I last saw him?" The masked man asked as he sat down in front of the desk, Tsunade doing the same in her office chair. The Godaime gave him a knowing look with a cocked eye brow.

"He isn't little no more. It seems since you last came here that he's been experimenting with his chakra reserves. Any clue as to how such thoughts came into being in his head?" Tsunade asked sarcastically, both knowing where it came from. Karyuudo laughed again before pausing and looking at the emblem clipped to his belt as it shook a tad violently for an inanimate object.

"Ok, Ok. I'll let you out." Karyuudo grumbled as he removed the emblem, Bloodwing phasing out of the piece of metal and perching on his shoulder. "Sorry, he's been cooped up the past couple days from the journey; I don't usually keep him locked up whenever I travel."

"That's quite alright. I remember when he was the size of a pigeon the last time I saw him." Tsunade noted nostalgically before noticing Team 8 was still present. "Oh, I'm sorry. Team 8, you're dismissed for the day. Kakashi, Team 7, can you stay behind, please?"

"Of course, Hokage-sama." Kakashi answered as Team 8 left. Once the door was closed, he gave the older woman a curious look as did the other members of Team 7. "What is it you need, Hokage-sama?"

"Karyuudo, if you'll please..." Tsunade asked of the hunter, who sighed softly and stood up, facing Team 7 as he slowly removed his mask, revealing his piercing blue eyes with black slit pupils, three jagged black lines scarring both of his cheeks, and the points of his sharp fangs as they poked out from behind his lips.

"Hello, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai, I presume. I'm sorry for deceiving you, but-"

_SLAP!_

"..." 'Karyuudo' remained silent as he kept his head turned away, his cheek bright red from the slap and a look of apathy on his face. He had been expecting it since Team 7 and 8 found him two days ago. Sakura, hand still raised from slapping him, glared at the hunter with both pain and joy in her emerald eyes. Bloodwing shrieked softly as it perched itself on the back of the chair its master had been sitting in moments ago, ruffling its feathers as it picked at something under its wing with its beak.

"You...You _bastard_!" She spat venomously as her shoulder shook in anger. "You leave without so much as a good-bye or explanation and all you have to say is you're _sorry_? You killed my parents, for crying out loud!"

"...Well, what would you have me do? Kill myself?" He quietly spat in returned as he fully turned from his old team, who stared at him in shock and hurt. He then looked down at his left hand, whispering. "...Not that I actually could..."

"Naruto...I..." Sakura said softly as she reached for Naruto's arm, intending to console him, but he gently batted her hand away and put his mask back on.

"Don't. Just...Don't." He snapped coldly as he held out his left hand to Bloodwing, who jumped up on his wrist. Moving Bloodwing to his right shoulder, Naruto faced the Godaime. "I'll stop by later tonight so we can iron out the details of my return. If you need me before then, you know where I'll be."

"Of-" Naruto left the office before Tsunade could utter the first word, sighing out the second. "-course..."

"..." Sakura remained silent as she watched Naruto walk away, biting her bottom lip in worry as her eyes grew a little misty. Once she lost sight of Naruto, she closed the office door and sat down in a chair, her face buried in her hands. "...God, I'm such a bitch..."

"Pardon my crudeness, but you fucked up. Big time." Kakashi admonished his former female student. Tsunade sighed as she pulled out her sake, looking as if she were older than she really was. "You know the reason why he killed them. He had no choice, _but_ to kill them; they were beyond all help at that point."

"...I know..." She whispered, but Sasuke slammed his fist against the wall, making her jump.

"No, you _don't_ know! That night, he became one of them! I'm surprised he's still sane after that night!" The Uchiha clan head snarled at his fiance angrily. "It's the whole reason why he left! Why he does what he does! He couldn't bear staying here, remembering that night every damn waking moment of his life! He feels responsible for what happened to them and guilty for killing them! In front of _you_, no less!"

Sakura was now openly crying into her hands as her team mates and former sensei left the office. After a few moments of silence, Sakura wiped her tears away and wordlessly left the office, deciding to head home and think about what she said to her old friend.

Slashing another tree in half, Naruto slowly stood up straight and flipped his sword into a normal forward grip before sheathing it, still a little upset by Kurenai's behavior yesterday. He then spun around with his crossbow in his hands, firing off three bolts in rapid succession, nailing the center of the target with only half a centimeter between the three silver-tipped bolts. Reloading in a blur of movement, he swung the crossbow in a horizontal arc as he pulled the trigger, hitting three more targets dead on from a hundred meters away.

Reloading the crossbow again, Naruto spun around and aimed it straight at his watcher, the tips level with their eyes, which were no more than four inches away from the pointed ends of the bolts.

"Kamizuki." Naruto growled out as he sent a clone to retrieve the used bolts while holstering his crossbow. Silver wasn't cheap and blessed silver was even harder to come across. Izumo, who hadn't even flinched when the crossbow was aimed at him, leveled a frosty glare at Naruto.

"What are you doing here, monster?" Izumo asked quietly, referring to Naruto's mixed blood. Scoffing at the man's question, Naruto took the bolts from his clone and slipped them back into the quiver.

"You know why I'm here. The Godaime called me back and he finally agreed to my original terms. Besides..." Naruto tapped the black metal Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around his left bicep. "I'm a member of Konoha's military now, meaning you can't touch me."

"Oh, yeah?" Izumo asked arrogantly as he shoved Naruto's shoulder. "I just did."

"Don't start with that bullshit now, Izumo." Naruto growled as his nails lengthened in two-inch long black claws. "You know you won't win."

"Alright, you two! Knock it off!" Gai barked as he landed between the pair, pushing them farther apart until they were arm's length from the spandex-clad jounin. "I don't feel like putting an order in for a coffin for either of you today or any other day, so just cool it! The both of you!"

"Heh. That's exactly what that abomination should be in right now." Izumo mumbled under his breath as Gai led him away from the masked hunter before turning to face said hunter with a look of anger apparent on his face. "A MOTHER-FUCKING COFFIN!"

"You want to go, Izumo? You want to go, bitch?" Naruto growled as he tossed his mask and removed his armored trench coat, revealing the skin-tight black muscle shirt he wore underneath it that clung to the diamond-hard chiseled muscles of his torso like a second skin. He raised his clawed hands up, goading Izumo to come at him. "Come on, mutha-fucka! Come on! Let's go!"

"Let me at that sonuva bitch!" Izumo snarled as he struggled to get out of Gai's hold on his arms. At that moment, Ibiki, Anko, Kakashi, and Asuma appeared in the clearing.

"What the-? Not again." Ibiki groaned in annoyance as he and Kakashi attempted to run interference between the two. Asuma, who didn't know what was going on, looked at Anko, who had her arms crossed over her chest with a look of sheer irritation.

"What's going on? What's with those two?" The Sarutobi inquired curiously, getting an incredulous look from Anko.

"You don't know?" Asuma shook his head negatively in reply, making the purple haired woman sigh in further annoyance. "The guy in black over there is Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina. He's also half werewolf and half vampire."

"Wait, what?" Asuma asked in shock, his cigarette falling from his lips. "What the hell do you mean half werewolf and half vampire? Those things don't exist."

"Yeah, they do. Almost no one knows they do because of people like Naruto, hunters of the Crimson Lance organization that keep the supernatural and otherworldly beings at bay, never to be seen or heard of by the world's populace." Anko explained as she picked up Asuma's dropped cigarette and took a drag on it herself before handing back to the shocked wind-user. "To explain the animosity between those two, Izumo's father was a vampire hunter as was their entire clan long ago and was being taught his father's trade before the man committed suicide. Izumo believes he was really killed by a vampire, not because he committed seppuku, seeing as there was very little blood in the man's body and no more than a pint of blood on his clothes and floor from supposedly gutting himself."

"Oh..." Asuma whispered softly as he dragged on his cigarette, watching as Ibiki was clocked in the face by Izumo as said recently promoted jounin tried getting at Naruto, who was still standing where he was and still antagonizing the vampire hunter while Kakashi tried to calm the dual-breed hunter down. "So Izumo hates Naruto because he's part vampire? Then how come he's able to be out in the sun light? His werewolf side?"

"No. It's natural for him. Vampire is really just a generalized term for them. There are actually two kinds of vampires; the mindless beasts, Vhampyres, you've heard about in stories and then there's the hyper intelligent Vampier, which is what Naruto is. The biggest difference between a Vhampyre and Vampier outside of appearance is the fact a Vampier can walk in the sun light and a Vhampyre would burn to death if they stepped outside during the day." Anko rolled her eyes when Kakashi finally got free before being sent back into Gai and Ibiki a moment later when Naruto punched the jounin across the face. "A Vhampyre, as i said, is mindless and always blood thirsty, draining anything they come across of blood. Vampiers, again, are hyper intelligent and know how to feed properly, only drinking what they need before leaving the victim alive. And no, that isn't what turns people into Vampiers or Vhampyres."

"Then what does?" Asuma asked.

"The exchange of blood and it doesn't have to be on purpose; it can be on accident. Say you were cut on the back of your hand and you slit the throat of a Vhampyre and their blood got into the wound. Within thirty-six hours, you would gradually become a Vhampyre. The same goes for Vampiers, but the transformation is much quicker and much more painful." The woman answered. "As for his werewolf blood, he was born with it. His mother, Kushina, was a werewolf while Minato, his father, was a normal human. The only reason he can touch silver is because of both halves of his blood acting in symbiosis, covering each other's weaknesses."

"I see, now. I think." Asuma replied uncertainly as he scratched his neck, watching as Kakashi was kicked in the chest by Naruto. That was when Anko decided to intervene. "Stay here."

"Um...Alright." Asuma agreed, not very willing to get hit by Naruto if Kakashi's severe coughing fit was any sign after he got kicked, his lungs fully depleted of oxygen. Plus, it seemed his ribs were cracked if the jounin's constant wincing and clutching at his chest were any indication as he tried to breath.

"Damn it, Naruto! Calm the fuck down!" Anko snapped at Naruto as she got up in front of him and snatched his collar, pulling him down so they were looking straight into each other's eyes. She didn't need to worry about Naruto hurting her; he never hit a woman that wasn't a Vhampyre/Vampier unless she was an enemy and intentionally meant to harm and/or kill him or a comrade.

"Then get that murderer out of here!" Naruto snarled as he pointed at Izumo, who only grew even angrier at being called a 'murderer'. Finally, a team of ANBU arrived on the scene and restrained Izumo before instantly removing him from the area, knowing exactly who- and what- Naruto and Izumo were and how to deal with their common bouts of brawling and/or attempted murder of one another.

"I never should have come back to this fucking shit-hole." Naruto growled to himself as he put his trench coat back on, snatching his mask from Anko's hand and putting it back on as well.

"Then why stay?" Anko asked seriously. She held no ill-will towards Naruto, but she knew things would be much better off without him being in the village. Naruto sneered at her as he closed his trench coat, tightening the straps.

"I made a pact with the Old Bat years ago before I left that if she needed me, I'll be there for her so long as the reason in good enough." Naruto snarled as he made sure everything was still properly secured on his person. "Tsunade's been trying to get me back in Konoha for years, but could never propose a good enough deal for me to even consider returning. However, he's agreed to my original terms and that's a different story for me."

"Oh? And just what are these 'terms' you're talking about?"

"Total immunity from the laws of Konoha; undisputable free-roam traveling rights that let me go wherever I want, whenever I want; unrestrained access to all records and files in Konoha of any and all divisions; access to the entire village; several other things." Naruto listed casually as he and Anko started walking together through the training ground as the others left.

"Why would you need such things?" She inquired.

"You know my occupation. I'm an honest hunter. Say an ANBU Black Ops member became a vampire or werewolf, but I didn't know who they were exactly, how am I to hunt them down and end their life if I don't have access to the proper records?" Naruto asked rhetorically as he drew one of his daggers and started flipping it in his right hand idly. "Without those records, I'm at a dead end with a killer on the loose. I would then have to revert to old-school tactics and that could take days, maybe weeks to figure out their identity and then I would have to track them down before I got to killing them."

"...Do you hate what you are?" Anko asked softly as she stopped him and looked straight into his eyes through his mask. Naruto scoffed at her question.

"Of course. I loathe myself for being even remotely related to the vile blood-suckers and skin-walkers of this world." Naruto replied gruffly as he continued walking. That is, until Anko forced him to turn around and punched him in the face, throwing him on his back from the chakra-enforced hit. Her knuckles were bleeding slightly, but she ignored it.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ hate yourself, Naruto." Anko growled coldly. "I used to hate myself for simply being Orochimaru's apprentice years ago, but I was always miserable because of it. It's ironic, really. _You_ were the one to bring me out of my self-loathing back then and here I am, reciprocating the act with you."

Naruto stayed silent as he laid there, staring up at the cloudless blue sky, listening to Anko's words. She was right; he had been the one to have a similar conversation with her about this very topic almost three years before he became a Vampier, a year before he found out he was a werewolf from his mother's blood.

"You called Izumo a murderer earlier. Why?" Anko asked forcefully, but didn't wait for an answer. "It's because you still respect yourself and others in the same position as you; turned against their will and killing their own kind to keep everyone safe. It's because people like yourself get killed by rogue hunters like Izumo simply because of what they are, not what they do."

Naruto, again, remained quiet and kept staring at the sky, finding peace within himself as he finally let go of his self-loathing. Anko sighed as she leaned down and put a piece of paper in his left hand before starting to walk away.

"Go see them, Naruto. They miss you." Was all Anko said before disappearing into the trees as she left the training ground. Looking at what she had put in his hand, he found it to be an address. Smiling sadly as he sat up and sheathed his dagger, Naruto pocketed the paper and decided to hold off on it for now. He still needed to smooth things over with Team 7- Sakura especially- before he went to see them.

Approaching the apartment Sakura lived in- having not moved in with Sasuke officialy- two days later during the evening, Naruto hesitated in knocking and contemplated just leaving, but knew he would probably never gather up the courage to do this again. Knocking lightly, he waited for her to open the door. When she did, Sakura was in a mildly poor state; her eyes were red and puffy from crying, wearing only a pair of red pajama pants and a white tank top, her hair a tad mussed up from the usual neat appearance she normally had.

"H-Hey, Naruto." She greeted faintly as she stepped aside and let him in.

"Hi, Sakura-chan." Naruto greeted in response as he entered her residence and removed his boots and weapons, leaving them at the door. Sitting on the couch, Naruto sat quietly and a little nervously while Sakura sat across from him on the love seat on the other side of the glass coffee table. "I...Um...I'm here to apologize."

"About what? I'm the one that should be apologizing." She responded cynically, upset with herself for still blaming Naruto for her parents' deaths.

"For everything. For my behavior the other morning, for not saying good-bye all those years ago. Everything." Naruto sighed as he removed his mask and set it down on the table, revealing the dark circles under his blood shot eyes and unusually pale skin even for him. Sakura gave him a worried look, remembering when he first became a Vampier.

"You haven't fed recently, have you?" Sakura asked softly as she moved to sit beside him. Naruto, almost ashamed, looked down at the ground and away from her a little. Sighing softly, Sakura held her left forearm up to Naruto's mouth. "Drink. You need it."

"...I'm fine." Naruto whispered as he gently pushed Sakura's arm away, only to get smacked upside the head with her other hand and her left arm pushed back in front of his face.

"Feed. Now." Sakura said more forcefully with a mild glare. "Don't make me force feed you because I _will_."

Sighing softly, Naruto reluctantly gave in and slowly pulled down the collar of his trench coat, biting down on her forearm and drinking slowly. After a couple minutes, he slowly let go, licking the bite mark clean before it healed up instantly thanks to the unique healing qualities of his saliva. Sakura, a little tired, smiled as Naruto looked healthier than before and leaned against him comfortingly.

"...Thank you." Naruto whispered as he slowly wrapped his arm around the woman and held her close to him. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Sakura laid her head in his lap, relaxing.

"Naruto-kun?" She asked softly without looking at him. "Do you...still love me? Even though I acted like a bitch the other day?"

"Do you really need to ask, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with a small smile, gently stroking Sakura's hair back. "You're family."

They went silent again as Sakura closed her eyes and relaxed completely. As the sun dipped below the horizon, she sat up a little and leaned against Naruto, resting her head against his chest and shoulder.

"Naruto-kun?" She asked again, a little hopeful.

"Hm?" Naruto hummed in response, his eyes closed as well as he buried his nose in Sakura's hair and breathed in her scent, relaxed as well.

"Could you stay here tonight? I don't want to be alone." Sakura asked him, cuddling closer as Naruto held her tighter.

"Of course, Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered softly.

"Thank you." Sakura answered before yawning tiredly. Naruto smiled softly before picking her up bridal style and carried her to bed, despite her meager protests. When Naruto turned to leave the room, Sakura grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Don't go. Please?"

"Alright." Naruto smiled softly and removed his armor and trench coat, leaving them on top of her dresser before climbing into bed beside her, holding her close as she snuggled up against him, using his chest for a pillow.

"Don't get any ideas, baka. You're just warm." Sakura grumbled softly. She was asleep seconds after, making Naruto smile a little more.

"Good night, Sakura-chan." He whispered softly as he kissed the top of her head and held her closer, closing his eyes as well for some rest.

\_-|-_-|-_/


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

/-|-\

The Lone Hunter

\-|-/

Chapter Two

Waking up with a jaw-cracking yawn, Naruto opened his eyes and found Sakura missing from bed. Then he smelled something all too familiar and quickly got up, running out of the room. Drooling slightly at the sight of his favorite treat, Naruto zipped to the kitchen and picked up one of the raw and bloody rib-eye steaks. As he devoured it, he caught sight of a note nearby stating she had to leave for a meeting. Shrugging slightly, Naruto swallowed his mouthful of raw steak before grabbing the second of four on the plate.

He may be a supernatural creature, but that didn't mean he never got hungry and being both vampire and werewolf, blood alone couldn't quite cut it...

Locking the door as he left Sakura's apartment, Naruto strapped his armor and weapons back on, placing his mask back on his face as he walked out into the street. Noticing the agitated vibrations of the emblem on his hip, Naruto gave a small laugh and let the bird free, its annoyed screeches echoing louder than the busy noise of the packed street as it flew over head. Landing lightly on his right shoulder, the bird warbled softly before picking at his hair idly.

"Sorry, Bloodwing. I didn't mean to forget about you." Naruto apologized to the crimson bird as he stroked a couple feathers on its chest. Continuing on to the Hokage's office, Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets watching as civilians and off-duty shinobi tried bargaining with merchants selling food and trinkets of all kinds in the streets. Smiling faintly as he reached the Fire Tower, Naruto ascended the stairs and made his way to the Hokage's office. After giving the receptionist his name- Akumu no Karyuudo- and waiting a few minutes, he was admitted into the room.

"Hey, Baa-chan. Any missions for me today?" Naruto asked curiously as he sat down on the couch the man had along one side of the room. Tsunade wordlessly tossed him a scroll and poured herself a dish of sake, leaning back in her chair.

"You may not like it, but you're going to have to bail Izumo's ass out of trouble. He and four others went out on a B-rank mission to Wind Country two or three hours after your little...confrontation." The Senju remarked with a cocked eye brow in silent question, only to get a dismissive shrug from the white haired hunter. "Turned out to be more along the lines of a high A-rank, low S-rank mission due to the presence of the Dragon Twins, Kurokaze Chitsuki, and the woman's possible apprentice. We haven't heard from them since yesterday when they reported running into the rogue Suna-nin."

"Lemme guess; you want me to go to Wind, secure the team, deal with the threat, and escort them back to Konoha after the mission's done." Naruto listed sarcastically as he closed his eyes and placed his left index and middle fingers against his left temple, acting as if he could read minds or tell the future. "Am I right?"

"Hmph. Brat." Tsunade grumbled before taking her drink as if it were a shot and refilling her dish. "And _yes_, that's exactly what I want you to do."

"Damn!" Naruto hissed under his breath before reading the details of the original mission and updated details. Grumbling under his breath, Naruto tossed the scroll back to the Godaime. "Fine, I'll save the bastard's ass, but if he so much as gives me the wrong look, I'm gonna kill him and leave."

"I'll be sure to send him a warning." The Senju mentioned as she began to write that very warning message down. Naruto then left via window and headed straight for the main gate just as Tsunade placed the message in the small leather case attached to a messenger bird's foot, setting it loose a moment later.

The next day, Naruto reached the endless dune sea of Wind Country, a desert camouflage cloak draped over his body with the hood pulled up. Hearing the shrill cry of Bloodwing, he looked up to see the scarlet bird flying around something in the distance. Moving quickly, Naruto went to see what his feathered companion found.

Jumping up on top of a large boulder, Naruto became concerned and a tad annoyed by what he saw…

"Graboids…Tch…" Naruto grumbled, watching as an unlucky desert-dwelling lizard the size of a small dog was sucked under ground, hissing and flailing the whole way down. There were numerous other small craters in the sand all over the area for almost a mile, signs of constant Graboid activity in the area.

Leaping from the boulder to a towering spire of rocks, Naruto knew to tread carefully around the carnivorous worms. They hunted by sensing vibrations in the ground cause by both movement and sound, giving them pin-point accuracy on their prey despite having no eyes or ears.

"Do you see any others, Bloodwing?" Naruto asked softly as the bird landed on his shoulder, ruffling its feathers in response. "Good. Return to the skies and search for Izumo and his team. When you find them, let me know."

As the bird took off, Naruto picked up a couple rocks and tossed them over the edge in the same spot, luring the worm closer into his trap. Seeing the sands shift around the rocks, Naruto smirked and tossed one of his grenades in the same spot as the rocks, gripping the pin between his thumb and index finger on his opposite hand.

Sucking the grenade down under ground, the Graboid died moments later in an explosion of sand, rocks, and gore. Smirking at his handiwork, Naruto leapt from the rock and barely hit the ground before taking off across the desert, using his own senses to try locating the missing team.

A few hours later, Bloodwing brought him to the corpse of a Konoha shinobi. Naruto scowled faintly as he crouched beside the dead man and started rummaging through his pockets for money and weapons. Finding a few hundred ryo and a couple spools of wire he could use, Naruto checked the man's cause of death.

Right off the back, Naruto knew it wasn't natural. There were no open wounds on his body to indicate the use of a blade- or even fangs, for that matter. His body was still well hydrated from what he could smell of the water in the dead man's blood. Opening the man's eyes, Naruto narrowed his own at the broad pupils and blood shot veins surrounding his irises. Checking his mouth and throat, Naruto's suspicions were confirmed by the man's charred mouth and bronchial tube.

"That god damn bastard is back." Naruto scowled as he located the nearly gone tracks of the team, quickly following them as Bloodwing flew over head.

Izumo cursed his luck as he and two chuunin stood back-to-back-to-back with their kunai drawn and held at the ready. They had been forced to go without sleep for two nights already and were working through their third night, having holed themselves up in a dark canyon. Their enemy couldn't hide at night due to the bright magma-like goo dripping from its palms and the fire-like light glowing in its mouth and eyes, its arms cracked with the same red-orange glow radiating through the crevices.

"He's coming…" One chuunin whispered as he spotted the fiery glow in the distance. They had learned quickly not to remain in one place during the day since the beast could disguise itself using heat waves that it naturally produced, hiding amongst an invisible mirage as it tracked them. The mirage didn't work at night due to the cooler temperatures and the fire-like light it naturally produced.

"What? I-It…It left." The same chuunin reported, knowing the others couldn't look away from their designated areas lest there be another of them or a trap. Whatever it was, it was very intelligent for a beast of rock and fire. Izumo narrowed his eyes, both nervous and concerned. He had never faced anything like this before and it was nerve-racking to the hunter.

He could only hope that reinforcements arrived soon…

Naruto scowled more deeply as he found the bodies of the Dragon Twins and Chitsuki, killed in the same manner as the first body he came across the previous day, only with more violence involved. They had severe burns on their bodies, one of the twins missing his entire left arm from the middle of his bicep down from the intense heat of what appeared to be magma from the melted appearance of the man's flesh and bone. Collecting their heads, Naruto figured he'd at least cash in on their bounties before returning to Konoha.

There was a body charred beyond recognition a short distance away, but Naruto figured it to be Chitsuki's apprentice. Knowing he was on the right track, Naruto continued in his search, using Bloodwing to increase the radius of his search as he ran through the desert, wasting no time in searching for his marks. Hearing a soft hiss, Naruto spun around on his feet, his crossbow aimed at the source.

"Damn it, Ragnarok, what are you doing here?" Naruto growled at his first pet as he holstered his crossbow, a pure white demon covered in spike-like armor lacking any eyes. It had two thumbs on each of its hand-like feet, black markings on either side of its head about where the eyes would be with small vent-like openings to gather/expel sound from for enhanced sensory of its surroundings along with a wicked looking barb on the end of its ivory tail as spines of various sizes ran along its length. The official term for it was a Xenomorph, but Ragnarok was an outcast of its hive due to the genetic mutations it had been 'born' with. Unlike its kin, Ragnarok had an actual tongue with a forked end while a Xenomorph normally had a proboscis-like tongue with an extra 'mouth'- fangs and all- on the end of it that was capable of easily punching through bone and armor alike.

Ragnarok hissed softly again as it slowly approached its master and nuzzled his hand, prompting Naruto to rub the top of its smooth head. Naruto sighed heavily in frustration before calling Bloodwing back to him, which landed on top of the unusually kind-hearted and gentle demon's head, who didn't seem to mind. Motioning for Ragnarok to follow him, Naruto took off into the desert again.

As the sun began to rise hours later, Naruto caught sight of Izumo and the chuunin several miles out as they started their own trek across the desert. Naruto's scowl only deepened, figuring they were stupid enough to keep going on with their original mission despite the obvious threat of the magma demon hunting them down. Picking up the pace, Naruto caught up to them an hour later as Ragnarok crawled along the side of the canyon wall, Bloodwing circling above them.

"What the hell is your problem, Izumo?" Naruto snarled as he grabbed said jounin by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the rock wall, the two chuunin drawing their kunai.

"Let go of me, abomination!" Izumo spat as he struggled to get out of Naruto's grip, but he was slammed against the wall a second time, halting his attempts.

"Not until you explain to me why you're still heading west when you should have started high-tailing it back to Konoha!" Naruto snarled angrily. "You've already lost two chuunin, obviously, and even those rogue Suna shinobi are dead! What the fuck are you thinking?"

"The mission comes before comrades!" Izumo hissed through clenched teeth, blocking out the head ache he got from hitting his head on the rocks. IT was only doubled in intensity when Naruto slugged him across the face, tossing him to the sandy floor.

"Bullshit! My sensei taught me that those who don't follow the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades and friends are worse than trash!" Naruto snarled as his nails became claws and his strength multiplied five-fold, his darker side slipping through. He grabbed Izumo by the ankle and tossed the jounin to the side, sending the man skidding along the sand. "You, Izumo, are worse than trash!"

Izumo opened his mouth to say something when they heard the crackle of fire and a deep growl. Turning to look at the source, Naruto spotted the fire demon stalking the jounin and chuunin. An unnatural growl rumbled in his chest as his darker side came out even further, his hair growing longer and shaggier as his muscles bulged slightly from beneath his armor, the straps coming loose and falling from his arms as his claws grew longer and sharper and his skin became covered in ivory fur.

**"Get out of here, you three."** Naruto growled as he removed his mask and trench coat, slowly changing into his anthromorphic wolf form. His face elongated into a canine-like snout with sharp fangs lining his top and bottom jaws, his eyes turning golden with black sclera as he swiftly removed his boots and let his leg change into those of a dog's.

Instantly, Izumo and the two chuunin bolted. The demon moved to intercept them, but Naruto jumped in front of the beast of rock and fire, back handing the demon into the canyon wall.

**"Your fights with me, hell spawn."**

_**"Says the kin-slayer to the man-killer."**_ The demon hissed out, magma dripping from its palms and mouth as it stood up and faced Naruto. Roaring in anger as he lunged at the fire demon, Naruto slashed his claws across its chest, causing insanely hot lava to spill from the wound. The demon roared in pain and attempted to smack Naruto away with its lava-covered hand, but said hunter ducked under the swipe and jumped up, driving his knee into the creatures shoulder from below its extended arm, breaking it off instantly.

Before it could roar in pain again, Naruto had snatched the limb and back handed the demon with its own removed hand, sending it into the ground. Ragnarok then pounced on its back, driving its barbed tail through its back and chest, unaffected by the magma as it continued to claw and bite at the fire demon's back and neck. Snarling in anger and pain, the fire demon continued to try grabbing Ragnarok with little luck before Naruto came in and tackled it, slamming it into the canyon wall again as Ragnarok jumped off the demon's back, clinging to the wall again as it stabbed its tail through the hell spawn's head, killing it.

Roaring again, Naruto tore into the demon's cooling rocky corpse, tearing it apart until nothing was left. He then howled in victory before slowly changing back into his human form and putting everything back on. Although his flesh steamed slightly from the heat of the demon's fire and magma-like blood, Naruto was unharmed. As Bloodwing returned to him with the three shinobi, Naruto put his mask back on.

"What the hell was that thing?" Izumo questioned, oddly calm. Naruto glanced at him and noticed his unusual behavior, especially when around him, but answered nonetheless.

"That was a Magnamhal, a powerful fire and heat-type demon capable of hiding itself in mirages of heat waves, using its very magma-like blood to melt anything it touches. It can also expel fire balls from its mouth of varying sizes and even pure heat waves to burn just about anything. However, higher level demons such as Ragnarok and myself are unaffected by its fire and heat attacks." Naruto explained as he pulled out his dagger while taking his mask off and stabbed it into a lizard crawling across a nearby rock, eating it moments later. He ignored the disgusted looks he got from the humans and put his mask back on, sheathing his dagger after cleaning it. "There are three other types. The Crynomal, an ice and water-type demon; the Magnevhal, a magnetic and lightning-type demon; the Terracahl, an earth and sand-type demon. Each one has their own abilities, but they all look about the same, just with different elements and coloration. They each like to be where their element is most common and is more powerful. For example, a Crynomal would take refuge in Snow Country due to the year-round cold climate and winter-like conditions and Terracahls would remain up in the rocky mountain ranges of Earth Country."

"..." Izumo listened quietly as did the chuunin, all three following Naruto back to Konoha. He couldn't bring himself to hate the dual-breed monster in front of him as much as he used to. Izumo still disliked Naruto greatly, but it had diminished just as much after hearing Naruto's words and watching him destroy the fire demon, that Magnamhal, as he called it.

"Come on, Ragnarok." Naruto ordered his ivory skinned friend, who shrunk down to the size of a gecko and scurried up his pant leg, taking refuge around Naruto's neck behind the high collar of the hunter's black trench coat. Bloodwing cried softly as it came in for a landing, perching itself on Naruto's left shoulder.

That night, they made camp for the night around a small camp fire. The chuunin went to sleep immediately, leaving Naruto and Izumo to sit by the fire in silence. Glancing up at the black-clad hunter, Izumo felt something akin to respect for the dual-breed, which surprised the jounin a little.

"Naruto..." Izumo's voice cut through the silence, but Naruto didn't react any more then grunting out a questioning 'Hn' in response. "...Thank you. For saving us, I mean."

"Hn." He grunted again. Naruto tossed a couple more sticks on the fire to keep it going. Silence reigned victorious once again for nearly another hour before Izumo decided to speak up again.

"You know quite a bit about the supernatural. Who taught you?"

"No one. Personal experience." Naruto answered stoking the fire with one of his daggers, watching idly as a desert-dwelling spider grew closer to the fire for warmth.

"Could you...I mean, would you be willing to teach me about the different kinds of demons and other supernatural beings?" Izumo asked hesitantly, unable to believe his own words. He had just asked the monster, who he hated with such passion that the legendary Kyuubi of legend wouldn't stand in his way, for help.

"No." Naruto answered without hesitation as he opened his trench coat and pulled out a journal before tossing it into Izumo's lap. "Teach yourself."

"...Thank you." Izumo answered softly, still in personal disbelief of himself. Naruto stood up and started walking away. "Where are you going?"

"To get more wood." Was all the hunter said before he disappeared into the darkness of night. After he was a fair distance from the camp, Naruto looked to the sky as he awaited his orders from headquarters.

_"Greeting, Karyuudo."_ Chimed a rather unusual demon. It was cat-like with a long tail, a small golden bell attached near the tip that rang lightly with every whip-like movement the appendage made.

"What's the message, Cheshire?" Naruto asked coldly of the green-eyed and blue-grey furred cat demon, who frowned slightly, tossing a scroll at Naruto.

_"The Bigwigs want you to investigate a possible dragon sighting in the Barrens to the west. You're welcome to bring anyone you want, but make sure they're capable of handling our line of work."_ Cheshire informed him as Naruto read the scroll in his hands. _"The Bigwigs are tired of losing potentially powerful hunters due to the carelessness of others."_

"Che...A Black Moon?" Naruto asked incredulously. "Those died away centuries ago."

_"Orders are orders, Karyuudo."_ Cheshire replied with a shrug, his large paws and claws seeming too big for his other wise thin and lanky body, despite standing only three feet tall.

"Heh. Yeah, right. More like another fucking wild goose chase." Naruto growled under his breath as he pocketed the scroll. "Fine, I'll do it, but I expect compensation for this bullshit mission."

_"I'll see what I can do, Karyuudo. No promises, though."_ And with that, Cheshire disappeared in the blink of an eye as if he was never there to begin with. Naruto sighed and decided to do as he told Izumo and look for some fire wood.

Three days later, they returned to Konoha and the two chuunin were given the week off to recover after they were debriefed never to speak of what they saw to anyone. Izumo, although suspended from active duty for a week, was praised mildly for his quick assessment of the demon's powers and development of a strategy to better protect him and his team, despite his lack of compassion for his comrades. From Naruto's mouth, of all things.

That same day, Naruto, who had already spoken with Tsunade of his new orders, could be seen rummaging through files he had picked himself, trying to figure out who would be best for his new mission. After several hours of thinking and reading, Naruto finally came to a decision; all six of them. Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, Inuzuka Hana, Hyuuga Hinata, and Sai.

Heading back to the Hokage's office, Naruto barged into the office without waiting and tossed the six files on Tsunade's desk. Sitting down as he took his mask off, Naruto leaned back in the chair, breathing a tired sigh. It was nearly midnight.

"Who'd you pick?" Tsunade asked without looking up from her paper work after setting the files neatly in a drawer.

"All of them." Tsunade paused in writing her signature and gave Naruto a curious look.

"All of them?" Tsunade asked, making Naruto roll his eyes.

"Is there an echo in here?" He asked sarcastically. "Yes, all of them. Kiba's soon to become a Wolven and he'll need someone with experience in the supernatural to master controlling the urges that come with a permanent shift in mind-set and physical appearance. Hinata…I've sensed some sort of power deep within her and I want to figure out what it is and, if possible, bring it out to the surface for her to use and master. Sai is one of the best at recon and sabotage thanks to his paintings. Hana is also next in line to become a pure-blood werewolf and the next clan head of the Inuzuka, so she'll need the experience of a supernatural hunter just like her mother did before her. I'll need a medic and Sakura is second only to you and her strength is immense, which will prove useful for the mission. As for Sasuke, his Sharingan will come in handy to subdue any enemies we come across for information and his different Chidori forms will be most helpful against some of the monsters in the west."

"Um...Wow, I honestly didn't expect you to think this through so well." Tsunade sheepishly admitted as she waved her hands apologetically after getting a tired and cold glare from Naruto. "G-Gomen, I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that we've never talked like this before since your...uh..._change_ and before that you were rather...um..."

"Dim. Ignorant. Fool-hardy." Naruto listed in complete honesty. "I know. I've changed and I quite like the changes, if not a bit biased towards my own blood and kin."

"Ok, well, how long do you think the mission will take?" Tsunade inquired, curious as to how long some of her best shinobi would be gone. She had a feeling she wouldn't like the answer and she was right.

"Two years, at least. Then there's the chance I'll get new orders and require their assistance then while still out in the field." Naruto then started thinking before giving her a flat look. "I'd say about four years in all."

"What? You can't be serious!" Tsunade bellowed angrily as she shot to her feet. Naruto wasn't the least bit intimidated by her, not like he used to be before he changed.

"I'm dead serious, Tsunade. They have the skills needed to get my mission done as soon as possible." Naruto answered her as he stood up and put his mask back on. "It'll be three years is if we don't run into any trouble, four years if we do. Make sure they're at the gate and briefed on the mission by eight tomorrow morning. And make sure the Inuzuka siblings don't bring their dogs."

With that, he left before Tsunade could argue any further...

Landing on the roof of a small shack near the gate, Naruto was pleased to see Tsunade had followed his instructions. The six ninja he requested were standing at the gate, the two Inuzuka siblings lacking their dogs; they were obviously upset about that, but Naruto knew it was for the best.

Flipping through the air and landing in front of the gathered team, Naruto stood up straight before cracking his neck and taking a deep breath to calm his own nerves, nervous of how they'll react to the mission objectives and length.

"I'm going to assume Tsunade filled you in on the purpose of our mission, correct?" Naruto asked, receiving nods. "Good. What I doubt she told you is that this mission could take up to two years and we probably won't be returning for another a year or two after that."

"What?" Kiba growled angrily while the others gained expressions of shock and slight anger. "We've got lives here, you bastard! We can't just up and leave for several years at a time! It's not like you got to worry about that, you coward!"

"Kiba!" Hana snapped at her brother, but he didn't listen to her. Naruto stayed quiet as he bowed his head.

"No, Hana! This bastard needs to get it through his god damn head that we aren't heartless like him!" Kiba snarled at Hana, shocking his older sister since he had never acted like that before. He rounded on Naruto again. "Where the fuck were you when that bastard Madara unleashed those fucking White Zetsu all over the continent? Where were you when Pein attacked Konoha before that? Where were you when Danzo tried to take over Konoha just after Pein's defeat?"

"…" Naruto clenched his fists in anger, remembering how he had fled the Elemental Countries a year into his training trip with Jiraiya, leaving the Sage behind.

"You're nothing more than a coward, Naruto! A heartless, spineless, coward!" Kiba spat. "I don't care how strong or 'bad-ass' you got, but you'll always be a deserter in my book!"

_WHAM!_

Naruto shook with unrestrained rage as he stood over Kiba's body after punching him in the chest, his daggers crossed over his neck. Through the eye holes of his mask, Kiba could see the bright yellow irises bearing black slit pupils.

"You have no fucking idea what I've been through! Sure, I ran, but not because I was afraid!" Naruto snarled as his daggers broke skin slightly, causing a pair of small blood drops to form. Kiba was frozen in fear, having never seen his old comrade act like this before. "I've been in bloodier wars than the one against Madara! Several times over! I've killed thrice the amount of enemies than anyone ever will in their entire life time! There is more blood on my hands- innocent or not- than that of everyone in this village combined! So don't you fucking DARE talk to ME about being a coward!"

Naruto retracted his daggers and got up, sheathing them as he walked away a short distance and stopping beside a tree. Roaring in anger, Naruto whirled around and slammed his fist into said tree, turning it into mulch and splinters instantly.

"Stay if you want, but I fucking guarantee you that you'll only hurt the ones you love if you do." Naruto snarled as he started walking. Sai, Sasuke, and Sakura followed him instantly, the hunter's old team mates knowing exactly what he was talking about. Hinata, although a little hesitant, followed as well. Hana turned to follow, but paused long enough to glare at her younger brother.

"You should listen to him, Kiba. I've worked with him before and he's far more than meets the eye." Hana spat before continuing on. Kiba laid where he was, still frozen in place by the sheer ferocity and rage Naruto had in his eyes. Standing up, Kiba slowly followed after them with his head held low and mouth shut.

Noticing the younger Inuzuka trailing in the back of the group, Naruto snorted slightly. _'Good. I would have been pissed if I spent my money on that brat in preparation for his inevitable transformation for no damn reason if he didn't come.'_

A week later, they came to a stop at a massive stone wall that split the world in half, dividing the Elemental Countries of the East from the Territories of the West.

"So we're going over this thing?" Sakura asked incredulously. Naruto shook his head.

"No. Going over it will only show you the lifeless wastelands of the west past this wall." Naruto explained as he started searching for something on the wall. Finding the proper groove, Naruto took his emblem off his belt and placed it into the groove, unlocking the door.

Bloodwing shrieked in concern and hesitation as it flapped its wings, the bricks slowly rotating inward until a large opening appeared in the wall.

"We're going through it, to the Underworld." Naruto pointed out as he stepped aside so they could see everything. It was a bustling village filled with lizard-like people, were-beasts, dragon-esque warriors, normal-ish humans with giant animal companions, and many other creatures of exotic and grotesque appearances.

"Wow." Sasuke whispered as he spotted what appeared to be a snake-man whose body from the waist down was a long serpentine tail, the upper half having snake-like qualities as well.

"The well acts as a portal only those of the Crimson Lance can access to cross dimensions. There are several other worlds that only we can access, but those are completely different." Naruto explained as he closed the door, confusing everyone with him.

"What the hell? I thought we were going in there?" Kiba asked in total confusion.

"…Humans can't go through the portal, can they?" Sasuke asked after a moment of silence, eyes narrowed at Naruto. Sighing softly, Naruto nodded.

"That is why I'm going to give you all one last chance to turn back." Naruto explained as he pulled out six scrolls and unrolled them, revealing the ancestral 'tree' for each of them. Sasuke crouched down in front of his and was surprised to find small nail-sized images of snake men similar to the one he saw moments ago beside several names on the list, his own included. The same was on Sakura's, a lion-man on Sai's, a woman with a tiger on Hinata's, a wolf-man on Kiba's, and two images on Hana's of a female were-wolf next to a woman.

"I did some further digging the night before we came out here after choosing you six for this mission." Naruto explained as he started with Sasuke "You, Sasuke, are destined to become a true Naga of the ancient Peruvian civilization. Sakura will become one as well, but it's lesser and will retain human characteristics more-so than snake qualities concerning her upper body. Hinata, you're one of the few remaining Spirit Warriors, people who have a guardian animal spirit. Yours just so happens to the Tiger. Sai, you're a Leo, much like a were-beast, only you're forever stuck in your beast form and you're, well, a lion. Kiba, you're a Wolven, much like a Leo, only that of a wolf. Hana, you're next in line to be the next Inuzuka clan head and soon to become a pure-blood werewolf just like your mother was; you're also going to need personal experience to deal with the supernatural for the future generations of the Inuzuka when it comes to shifting and controlling their powers."

"…" Sai wordlessly stood up and looked at the sky, his hair shifting in the light breeze. "How do we awaken our true forms?"

"For those like yourself, Hinata, and Sasuke, it's most easily achieved through extensive meditation by attempting to contact your other half." Naruto explained before facing the others. "Sakura and Hana, you'll need to face your fears through meditation as well and defeat those fears. Kiba, you're going to be working with me. I was present for an old friend when he turned into a Wolven so I know how to deal with it all."

"Alright…" Kiba responded uneasily as he stood up while Naruto rolled up the scrolls and handed each to their respective owner. Everyone, sans Kiba, instantly moved off to different areas of the clearing to meditate. Nodding his head to the side, Naruto led Kiba deeper into the forest until they came across a small river and waterfall. In front of the waterfall was a Wolven with bright blue tribal markings on his body collecting water in a hollowed out horn from some sort of beast. Tied around his waist was a bone knife, a quiver of arrows on his back, and a bow in his right hand.

"Take everything off, but your pants." Naruto instructed Kiba as he followed his own words, revealing the intricate black tribal markings covering his back and chest.

"_Greetings, Karyuudo. Long time, it has been."_ The Wolven greeted as it sealed off the horn and tied it to the leather belt around his waist. Kiba couldn't understand what the Wolven had said for a moment due to some sort of foreign language, but slowly came to understand the beast's words as if he had grown up speaking and hearing it his whole life.

"_That it has, Cah' Yu__."_ Naruto replied in the same tongue. _"My friend here is a Wolven, but has yet to awaken. I was hoping you could help him through it as I prepare the ritual."_

"_Anything for my friend, I will do."_ Cah' Yu responded as he approached Kiba and looked down at him, inspecting him. Kiba was kind of intimidated by the Wolven, who stood at almost 7 feet tall. _"An Inuzuka? Long time, since last Inuzuka Wolven."_

"_I realize that, Cah' Yu. I have a feeling about this one, though. He __has the same aura as you did before your own awakening."_ Naruto explained cryptically with an unseen wink at Cah' Yu as he placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder in a comforting manner, having noticed the Inuzuka's nervousness and hesitance. _"__So will you help, Cah' Yu?"_

"_Will help. Inuzuka must prove worth, first."_ Cah' Yu explained, catching on to Naruto's plan, before he turned away and reached into a crevice in the rocks behind the small waterfall.

"Prove my worth? What's he mean?" Kiba whispered to Naruto, who simply smirked.

"Cah' Yu is the guardian of the sacred water that spills from the waterfall and flows through the river. He is also responsible for the awakening of young were-wolves and the trial to become an adult for young pure-blood Wolven born into the life of a Wolven." Naruto explained quietly as Cah' Yu continued to rummage through the hole that seemed just big enough for his arm to fit in, but not enough room to move his hand or arm around much. "What's he's looking for is key to your awakening into a Wolven."

"And that is?" Kiba asked hesitantly, only to go green in the face when he saw what it was in Cah' Yu's clawed paw-like hand.

"_Eat."_ Cah' Yu ordered as he held up the glowing electric blue worm up to Kiba as it wriggled and writhed. Hesitantly reaching out to it, Kiba looked about ready to throw up just looking at it. As the Inuzuka grabbed it and held it up to his face, he suddenly remembered back to when he was a kid and used to eat bugs for hell of it…

'_Can't taste much different…'_ Kiba thought with uncertainty before swallowing the worm…

\_-|-_-|-_/


End file.
